Optimizing the learning potential for the distance learning students

The distance learning programme has made its entrance into nursing education, and many see it as a break with the education’s traditions of teaching in the classroom, in practise rooms and at the patient’s bedside (Chaffin & Maddux 2004). Traditionally, many of the technical skills and personal qualities that nurses must acquire are learned through interaction with others. The distance learning programme has therefore given rise to some new problems and challenges, and this article discusses some of these. Empirically, the article builds on a comparative study of three student nurse classes from two Danish nursing schools, including one based on the distance learning programme. By following both distance learning and traditional nursing students in their clinical training, light is cast upon the differences and similarities that may exist in the clinical skills and competences that the students gain under the two programmes. Theoretically the article builds on Etienne Wengers theory on learning in communities of practice, focusing on the relationship between experience and competence in learning related communities of practice (Wenger 1998;Wenger 2004) . The article contributes with findings that are related to the differences between the programmes and the different types of students that each programme attracts. The article argues that an increased didactic and pedagogical focus upon the field of tension between experience and competence will enable an optimisation of the learning conditions of the distance learning students in their clinical teaching. The article, in conclusion, thus places focus on the questions surrounding teaching design in relation to the distance learning programme.

Developing a Web-Based Course in Phases

Introduction: Distance education has grown in popularity and usage. At the same time, enrollments at postsecondary institutions continue to increase. This places significant growth pressures on institutions of higher learning. Institutions providing nursing education have historically faced limited faculty resources. This has made it difficult to meet demand for distance education; and an “all-at-once” approach to course development does little to ease this problem. In this approach, resources are expended up front before a course is offered. [See PDF for complete abstract].

Tailored instructional methods for students with diverse levels of computer knowledge and skills

The purpose of this online course is to ensure new nursing graduate students know how to use computer technologies required to complete academic and research activities. Powerful computers, high speed internet, digitalized resources and databases are widely available in educational institutes. New renovation and updates are being released at faster pace than ever. All these developments are necessary for a student to utilize computer programs and synthesize large amount of data in a limited time for any given academic research project. [See PDF for complete abstract]

Evaluating Learner Perceptions of Use of Simulations for New nurses – A Collaboration Between the UT SON and the Methodist Hospital

The purpose of this evaluation project was to describe the integration of simulation into a nursing internship program and to help prepare new graduate nurses for patient care. Additionally, learning styles and perceptions of active learning, collaboration among peers, ways of learning, expectation of simulation, satisfaction, self-confidence, and design of simulation were examined. [See PDF for complete abstract]

The burnout syndrome among nurses in an urban acute care hospital

Three hundred fifty-four registered nurses from an urban acute care hospital were examined through self-report questionnaires. Nurses from trauma care, critical care and non-critical care nursing specialties participated in the study. The study focuses were (1) whether sociodemographic characteristics were significantly related to burnout; (2) what was the prevalence estimate of burnout among the population; (3) whether burnout levels differed depending upon nursing specialties and; (4) whether burnout as related to nursing stress, work environment, and work relations was mediated by sociodemographic characteristics.^ Race, age, marital status, education, seniority, rank, nursing education, and birthplace were significantly related to one or more aspects of burnout in the total population. With emotional exhaustion alone the prevalence of burnout was 62%. Using emotional exhaustion and depersonalization combined with reduced sense of personal accomplishment as a measure of burnout, thirty-four percent of the nurses were either in the pre-burnout phase or burned out. The relative importance of sociodemographic characteristics indicated that experience and race were highly significant risk factors.^ Burnout levels differed significantly depending upon nursing specialty. Specifically, levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization differed significantly between trauma care and critical care, and trauma care and non-critical care. Personal accomplishment did not differ depending upon nursing specialty. Critical care nurses did not differ significantly from non-critical care nurses on aspect of burnout.^ Race, marital status, education, seniority and rank were significant mediators of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The study offers possible explanations for the mediating effect of sociodemographic characteristics on nursing stress, work environment, work relations, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. ^

Improving adherence in African American women with uncontrolled primary hypertension

Background and Objectives: African American (AA) women are disproportionately affected with hypertension (HTN). The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-week culturally-tailored educational intervention for AA women with primary HTN who lived in rural Northeast Texas. ^ Methods: Sixty AA women, 29 to 86 years (M 57.98 ±12.37) with primary HTN were recruited from four rural locations and randomized to intervention (n =30) and wait-list control groups ( n =30) to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, social support, adherence to a hypertension regimen, and blood pressure (BP) control. Survey and BP measurements were collected at baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks (post intervention) and 6 months post intervention. Culturally-tailored educational classes were provided for 90 minutes once a week for 6 weeks in two local churches and a community center. The wait-list control group received usual care and were offered education at the conclusion of the data collection six months post-intervention. Linear mixed models were used to test for differences between the groups. ^ Results: A significant overall main effect (Time) was found for systolic blood pressure, F(3, 174) =11.104, p=.000, and diastolic blood pressure. F(3, 174) =4.781, p=.003 for both groups. Age was a significant covariate for diastolic blood pressure. F(1, 56) =6.798 p=.012. Participants 57 years or older (n=30) had lower diastolic BPS than participants younger than 57 (n=30). No significant differences were found between groups on knowledge, adherence, or attitudes. Participants with lower incomes had significantly less knowledge about HBP Prevention (r=.036, p=.006). ^ Conclusion: AA women who participated in a 6 week intervention program demonstrated a significant decrease in BP over a 6 month period regardless of whether they were in the intervention or control group. These rural AA women had a relatively good knowledge of HTN and reported an average level of compliance, compared to other populations. Satisfaction with the program was high and there was no attrition, suggesting that AA women will participate in research studies that are culturally tailored to them, held in familiar community locations, and conducted by a trusted person with whom they can identify. Future studies using a different program with larger sample sizes are warranted to try to decrease the high level of HTN-related complications in AA women. ^

The Hospital Study of the City of Houston and Harris County

In 1941 the Texas Legislature appropriated $500,000 to the Board of Regents of the University of Texas to establish a cancer research hospital. The M. D. Anderson Foundation offered to match the appropriation with a grant of an equal sum and to provide a permanent site in Houston. In August, 1942 the Board of Regent of the University and the Trustees of the Foundation signed an agreement to embark on this project. This institution was to be the first one in the medical center, which was incorporated in October, 1945. The Board of Trustees of the Texas Medical Center commissioned a hospital survey to: - Define the needed hospital facilities in the area - Outline an integrated program to meet these needs - Define the facilities to be constructed - Prepare general recommendations for efficient progress The Hospital Study included information about population, hospitals, and other health care and education facilities in Houston and Harris County at that time. It included projected health care needs for future populations, education needs, and facility needs. It also included detailed information on needs for chronic illnesses, a school of public health, and nursing education. This study provides valuable information about the general population and the state of medicine in Houston and Harris County in the 1940s. It gives a unique perspective on the anticipated future as civic leaders looked forward in building the city and region. This document is critical to an understanding of the Texas Medical Center, Houston and medicine as they are today. SECTIONS INCLUDE: Abstract The Abstract was a summary of the 400 page document including general information about the survey area, community medical assets, and current and projected medical needs which the Texas Medical Center should meet. The 123 recommendations were both general (e.g., 12. “That in future planning, the present auxiliary department of the larger hospitals be considered inadequate to carry an added teaching research program of any sizable scope.”) and specific (e.g., 22. That 14.3% of the total acute bed requirement be allotted for obstetric care, reflecting a bed requirement of 522 by 1950, increasing to 1,173 by 1970.”) Section I: Survey Area This section basically addressed the first objective of the survey: “define the needed hospital facilities in the area.” Based on the admission statistics of hospitals, Harris County was included in the survey, with the recognition that growth from out-lying regional areas could occur. Population characteristics and vital statistics were included, with future trends discussed. Each of the hospitals in the area and government and private health organizations, such as the City-County Welfare Board, were documented. Statistics on the facilities use and capacity were given. Eighteen recommendations and observations on the survey area were given. Section II: Community Program This section basically addressed the second objective of the survey: “outline an integrated program to meet these needs.” The information from the Survey Area section formed the basis of the plans for development of the Texas Medical Center. In this section, specific needs, such as what medical specialties were needed, the location and general organization of a medical center, and the academic aspects were outlined. Seventy-four recommendations for these plans were provided. Section III: The Texas Medical Center The third and fourth objectives are addressed. The specific facilities were listed and recommendations were made. Section IV: Special Studies: Chronic Illness The five leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, “apoplexy”, nephritis, and tuberculosis) were identified and statistics for morbidity and mortality provided. Diagnostic, prevention and care needs were discussed. Recommendations on facilities and other solutions were made. Section IV: Special Studies: School of Public Health An overview of the state of schools of public health in the US was provided. Information on the direction and need of this special school was also provided. Recommendations on development and organization of the proposed school were made. Section IV: Special Studies: Needs and Education Facilities for Nurses Nursing education was connected with hospitals, but the changes to academic nursing programs were discussed. The needs for well-trained nurses in an expanded medical environment were anticipated to result in significant increased demands of these professionals. An overview of the current situation in the survey area and recommendations were provided. Appendix A Maps, tables and charts provide background and statistical information for the previous sections. Appendix B Detailed census data for specific areas of the survey area in the report were included. Sketches of each of the fifteen hospitals and five other health institutions showed historical information, accreditations, staff, available facilities (beds, x-ray, etc.), academic capabilities and financial information.

Texas Medical Center --- Its Origins

This document details the people and institutions who were instrumental in the establishment and development of the Texas Medical Center (TMC). Biographical information about the founders, role the M. D. Anderson Foundation, and opening of the main institutions in the early 1950s is detailed. A copy of a speech given in 1958 by W. B. Bates, one of the trustees of the M. D. Anderson Foundation, on the history and development of the TMC is significant because he was one of the founders of the TMC. This document was commissioned by the Houston Chamber of Commerce in 1971 as the Texas Medical Center began a new phase of expansion with the pending addition of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. It includes information about each of the 21 institutions which comprised the TMC at that time.

Interview with Dorothy Otto

Interview with Dorothy Otto, Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center.

Ensino-aprendizagem de enfermagem em simulação clínica: desenvolvendo competência profissional para prevenção de úlceras por pressão

O desenvolvimento de competências profissionais em processos de ensino-aprendizagem insere a simulação na perspectiva tecnológica realística de situações clínicas para atingir objetivos educacionais, visando segurança e qualidade. A ação competente operacionaliza saberes pela combinação de conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes. A competência avaliação de risco para úlcera por pressão é privativa do enfermeiro, o agravo é indicador de qualidade e segurança do paciente. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem ante a estratégia de simulação clínica, visando o desenvolvimento da competência profissional avaliação de risco para úlceras por pressão e seus respectivos conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes. Fundamentou-se, teoricamente, o estudo, nos preceitos da andragogia, no modelo de Simulação da National League for Nursing/Jeffries, nas concepções de competências de Le Boterf e recomendações para prevenção de úlcera por pressão do NPUAP/ EPUAP. Trata-se de estudo descritivo com análise quanti e qualitativa, desenvolvido no Laboratório de Simulação da Universidade Federal do Piauí, em Teresina, com estudantes de enfermagem do último ano do curso. Constou de três etapas: construção e validação de conteúdo do instrumento para conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes da competência, elaboração do plano de aula e sequência didática do cenário de simulação, aplicação de pré/pós-teste sobre o componente \"conhecimento\", aula expositiva, execução do cenário de simulação pelos estudantes, avaliação dos cenários pelo comitê de juízes e debriefing por grupo focal, após o cenário. Verificou-se confiabilidade do construto e do instrumento de medida da competência com concordância predominando de 80 a 100% de pertinência. O instrumento constou de 32 itens: conhecimento (14), habilidades (8) e atitudes (10), com escala de resposta de cinco pontos, de nada (1) a extremamente (5). Inicialmente o estudo contou com 35 estudantes. Desses, 29 (82,8%) participaram da simulação. Predominou o sexo feminino 22 (76%), faixa etária de 21 a 24 anos, 24 (82,7%) e procedentes de Universidades Públicas do Estado do Piauí (83%). Os resultados mostraram melhores níveis de combinação de saberes para o componente conhecimentos, após a aplicação das estratégias de ensino autorreferidos pelos estudantes. Na avaliação dos conhecimentos, habilidade e atitudes, durante o cenário, houve discordância entre os juízes: para o juiz 1 predominaram parâmetros negativos da escala (nada e muito pouco) e para o juiz 2 e 3 os positivos (bastante e extremamente). As comparações pelo teste de variância ANOVA mostraram diferenças significativas entre juiz 1 e 2 (p-valor = < 0,01) e juiz 1 e 3 (p-valor=<0,01) para todos os componentes. A análise dos dados obtidos, durante o debriefing, originou cinco categorias com suas respectivas unidades de registro temáticas pela análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os resultados sugerem que a estratégia é capaz de resgatar o raciocínio operativo dos estudantes durante a ação, desenvolver pensamento crítico-reflexivo sobre a competência, identificar lacunas de aprendizagem, promover satisfação aos estudantes e melhorar a autoimagem profissional. Conclui-se que a estratégia possibilita o desenvolvimento da competência avaliação de risco para úlcera por pressão nas dimensões de saberes (conhecimento), fazeres (habilidades) e querer-agir, saber-agir e poder-agir (atitudes), explorados neste estudo.

Development and psychometric testing of the clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher evaluation scale (CLES+T): The Spanish version

Background: The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the quality of the clinical learning process in international nursing education contexts. Objectives: This paper reports the development and psychometric testing of the Spanish version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale. Design: Cross-sectional validation study of the scale. Setting: 10 public and private hospitals in the Alicante area, and the Faculty of Health Sciences (University of Alicante, Spain). Participants: 370 student nurses on clinical placement (January 2011–March 2012). Methods: The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale was translated using the modified direct translation method. Statistical analyses were performed using PASW Statistics 18 and AMOS 18.0.0 software. A multivariate analysis was conducted in order to assess construct validity. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to evaluate instrument reliability. Results: An exploratory factorial analysis identified the five dimensions from the original version, and explained 66.4% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factor structure of the Spanish version of the instrument. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the scale was .95, ranging from .80 to .97 for the subscales. Conclusion: This version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale instrument showed acceptable psychometric properties for use as an assessment scale in Spanish-speaking countries.

Aprendiendo a prescribir cuidados según capacidad funcional en soporte electrónico

Objetivo: Conocer los resultados en términos de ganancia funcional de la aplicación de un sistema de registro electrónico basado en el índice de Barthel y la prevención de efectos adversos como método de prescripción y ejecución de cuidados estandarizados, utilizado por estudiantes de enfermería bajo la tutela de enfermeras clínicas acreditadas durante las prácticas clínicas tuteladas en la Universitat Jaume I. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo, prospectivo, longitudinal, multicéntrico. Se incluyen los registros electrónicos con estancia entre 5 y 9 días relacionados con las 6 camas que los estudiantes tienen asignadas en las unidades de medicina interna, cirugía y traumatología de 5 hospitales públicos y privados de la provincia de Castellón. Se estudian variables sociodemográficas y clínicas, riesgo de efectos adversos al ingreso, evolución de la capacidad funcional y ganancia funcional al alta. Se analiza la dependencia de las variables con la ganancia funcional y las diferencias entre grupos (p<0,05). Resultados: Con una muestra de 141 registros, la edad media es de 70,96 (s=15,64), sin diferencias significativas según sexos (p<0,05). El 68% (n=71) son procesos médicos con estancia media de 6,62 días (s=1,34) y complejidad media de 4,2 (s=2,6). La muestra presenta riesgo moderado-elevado de úlceras por presión (30%), caídas (68%) y desnutrición (52%). Los planes de cuidados estandarizados supone una ganancia funcional media de 7,06 puntos (s=20,09), sin diferencias significativas entre grupos (p<0,05). Discusión: La formación del estudiantado con metodología que implica toma de decisiones en la planificación de cuidados puede aportar mejoras en la calidad asistencial.

Medical and surgical asepsis ...

Mode of access: Internet.

Report

National League of Nursing Education merged with National Organization for Public Health Nursing, and Association of Collegiate Schools of Nursing in 1952 to form the National League for Nursing